411’s MMA Roundtable Preview: CBS/EliteXC Saturday Night Fights III – “HEAT”
Posted by Larry Csonka on 10.03.2008
Can Ken Shamrock regain his former glory against Kimbo Slice? Plus you can win a FREE DVD!
FREE DVD!
Do you want to win a FREE copy of the ELITEXC UPRISING event? Well if you want to win a free copy of the DVD, all you have to do is email ME! That's right, email me your name, and in the subject line make sure to put "ELITE DVD!" You will then be entered into a drawing to win a FREE copy of the ELITEXC UPRISING event!
WELCOME:
Welcome once again to another edition of the 411 MMA Roundtable Preview! It appears as if the schedule will be picking up over the next few weeks and that we will have a plethora of MMA to enjoy! But today we shall look at the CBS/EliteXC Saturday Night Fights III – "HEAT" event, which is the third MMA event from EliteXC that will run on CBS. This is a huge event for the company, and they have brought out many of the top stars from the promotion: Jake Shields, Gina Carano, Murilo "Ninja" Rua, Kimbo Slice and even Affliction got into the spirit as Andrei Arlovski will face Roy "Big Country" Nelson! Let's meet the staff and break down the TV portion of the show!
THE STAFF:
From the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Scott Kuczkowski!
Rankings Guru Dustin James!
MMA report superstar Jonathan Solomon!
From the Fightin' Stance News, Adam Tool!
And finally your humble editor, Larry Csonka!
~CBS/EliteXC Saturday Night Fights III – "HEAT"~
THE TV CARD: Middleweight Bout - Murilo "Ninja" Rua (16-8-1) vs. Benji Radach (18-4)
Scott Kuczkowski: Both of these guys are going to want to bang, so this should be a good fight. Radach is coming off a loss Matt Horwich, while Rua is on a two-fight win streak. The question as always will be in regards to Rua's gas tank. I'd say that the longer this fight goes, the less chance there is that Rua will pull out the victory. I think Rua would be smart to go for the kill early, otherwise Radach will take him into the later rounds and wait for him to tire. I could probably just toss a coin and be closer to a definitive pick, but I think Rua will keep his winning streak alive.
Winner: Rua, TKO, Round 2
Dustin James: It's always good to see a Rua in action, although I would prefer it if his nickname was "Shogun". Either way, IFL veteran Benji Radach could be in for some trouble here. You want to hear the resume of people that Ninja has lost too? Ok, here we go...Dan Henderson, Ricardo Arona, Kevin Randleman, Sergei Kharitonov, Quinton Jackson, Paulo Filho, Denis Kang, and Robbie Lawler. That's almost a who's who in MMA. Can we possibly add Benji Radach to that list? I just don't see it. I'm calling for a Ninja KO here.
Winner: Murilo "Ninja" Rua, TKO, Round 2
Jonathan Solomon: Woo hoo! Ninja Rua made me a fan instantly when he battered Tony Bonnello last time on CBS for talking smack. Here he will take on Benji Radach who will try and own this fight from a striking standpoint. Can he keep it on the feet? I doubt it. Ninja Rua can smell a future title shot and he will not be denied. We kick off the CBS show with a solid submission, a precursor of things to come.
Winner: Murilo Ninja Rua, Submission, Round 1
Adam Tool: We should have a nice little slugfest here to open up the show, unless Rua decides to take the fight down and use his superior BJJ to get the tap out. More often than not though, the Rua's prefer a striking battle and I'm sure Benji will be happy to oblige. Too bad he's going to end up on the losing end.
Winner: Murilo "Ninja" Rua, TKO, Round 2
Larry Csonka: With the news that Robbie Lawler will defend his EliteXC Middleweight Title in a rematch against Joey Villasenor at EliteXC's November 8 show, this becomes a very important bout on the card. Rua defeated Villasenor for the title before losing it to Lawler, and there is nothing more Rua wants than a title match. But first he has to get through Benji Radach, who had great success in the IFL before losing to Matt Horwich in December of 2007. While Radach is an accomplished fighter, Rua looked great in his last outing and I feel will take the fight in what should be a fun stand up battle.
Winner: NINJA, RD2, TKO
Women's 140 - Pound Weight Class - Gina Carano (6-0) vs. Kelly Kobold (16-2-1)
Scott Kuczkowski: The question on everyone's mind should be "will Gina make weight?" Carano has a history of not making weight for her fights, which I find pretty disappointing. Despite that, this fight should be pretty good as Kobold has a lot of fighting experience. The only common opponent the two share is Julie Kedzie, who Kobold lost to in her last fight and who Carano defeated in her fourth fight. I think Carano will look to keep this on the feet where she can use her strikes to pick Kobold apart while Kobold will look to try for a submission. I don't think Kobold will be able to finish Carano, so I predict another win for Gina.
Winner: Carano, Decision
Dustin James: There's no doubt about it in this one, Kelly Kobold has Gina Carano beat in the experience department. But guess what, that doesn't always matter. No matter how you slice it, women MMA fights are always hard for me to pick. Sometimes I'm forced to jump into MMAth (which isn't always the best way to pick a winner). Kelly Kobold's last fight came in August of 2007 and she lost via unanimous decision to Julie Kedzie. Carano fought Kedzie in February of 2007 and won via unanimous decision. So MMAth would suggest that Carano will win this fight via unanimous decision. But as I mentioned, MMAth is not a very convincing way to pick a winner of a fight. So instead I will go with who I think would look better naked...and that would be Gina.
Winner: Gina Carano, Unanimous Decision
Jonathan Solomon: I'm contracted to write more, otherwise I would simply say, Gina Carano. Her fights are always entertaining and interesting in their own ways. As is the case for all of her opponents, Kelly Kobold is in a position to shock the world and knock off the most well known female fighter in the sport. Carano has not had to deal with American Gladiator obligations though, which means plenty of training time. Plus, look out for an appearance from the Cyborg lady in a post-fight situation (if she wins) to promote a future bout.
Winner: Gina Carano, Decision
Adam Tool: Unlike her first CBS appearance, this time Carano will have the benefit of a full training camp. Will it result her making weight? Regardless of how many pounds Carano may have on her opponent, I don't really see how Kobald can win this fight. Gina has outstanding striking and is slowly improving her ground game as well. Let us not forget that she's been training at Xtreme Couture and so we know she'll have a solid game plan going in.
Winner: Gina Carano, TKO, Round 3
Larry Csonka: I know we're all thinking it, will Gina Carano make weight? This time she has no excuse as she has had full time to train and reportedly hired a nutritionist. As Tool mentioned very well Gina has an outstanding striking game and is slowly improving her ground game to go along with that. While Kobald has an outstanding record, she has faltered in her last two fights when she stepped up in competition, losing to Larosa and Kedzie. I don't think she'll have an answer for Gina, and I hope that Gina wins because a fight with her and CYBORG is MANY BUYS!
Winner: Gina Carano, RD2, TKO
Heavyweight Bout - Andrei Arlovski (13-5) vs. Roy "Big Country" Nelson (13-2)
Scott Kuczkowski: This will hopefully be a good fight, which I pretty much expect with Arlovski. "Big Country" may have been the big dog in the IFL, but I think he's going to learn very quickly that he was the fat fish in a shallow pond. The common factor for Arlovski and Nelson is Ben Rothwell. Rothwell defeated Nelson but lost to Arlovski. I can't picture Nelson hurting Arlovski nor do I see him taking him down and submitting him. Short of a lucky punch, I don't see him having much of a shot at all. I predict Andrei will keep this on the feet and dismantle Nelson at a methodical pace. I also think this will be one of those fights that will accentuate the difference between a top 5 heavyweight like Arlovski and someone like Nelson who has made a career of defeating "C" level fighters.
Winner: Arlovski, TKO, Round 2
Dustin James: I will not use the "who I think would look better naked" scenario to pick a winner in this one. Because if I did that, "Big Country" would probably lose before his entrance music even hit. I'm totally jazzed for this fight. Seriously, when I heard that this fight was going to be shown on CBS for on an ELITEXC card, I about sent apology letters to EliteXC for all the hate mail I have sent them the last few months (I haven't actually sent any, but I have been close!). This is a fight for the hardcore MMA fans no doubt about it. Carano and Slice will bring in the casual MMA fans, but an Arlovski/Nelson slugfest will bring in the hardcores. I have read some people predicting this fight to be a round one KO victory for Arlovski. Am I missing something here? Isn't Nelson 13-2 as a pro and has never been finished? I honestly can't see Arlovski finishing off Nelson that quick. I think go more along the lines of the Arlovski/Rothwell fight at Affliction "Banned" back in July. One thing is for sure however, it will be a slugfest.
Winner: Andrei Arlovski, KO, Round 3
Jonathan Solomon: Thank you very much as now we have a legit superstar (in his prime?) on the show. Andrei Arlovski is back in the spotlight against a former IFL fighter in big Roy Nelson. This will be a slugfest, which I'm sure EXC will love. A war is in store for sure and rhyming is fun. Arlovski wants to fight Fedor and a win here may accomplish said goal. Never underestimate Big Country's power though, but Arlovski should be pumped for this opportunity on CBS. As long as Tim Sylvia isn't across the cage, Arlovski will be fine (and the fans as well).
Winner: Andrei Arlovski, TKO, Round 2
Adam Tool: Two former heavyweight champions collide in what could end up being the fight of the night. Both fighters have heavy hands, so I look for this one to explode pretty quickly. In the end though I don't see any way I can pick against "The Pitbull," particularly after how good he looked against Ben Rothwell a few months ago.
Winner: Andrei Arlovski, TKO, Round 2
Larry Csonka: Things got very interesting with the addition of this bout to the card, due mainly to the fact that Elite is in trouble financially and Affliction isn't exactly in the best of shape either. Andrei Arlovski looked great on the last Affliction card against a man that defeated Nelson, and while I hate MMAth, I think Arlovski will be able to be able to keep a quick pace, tire out Nelson and then end it. I won't rule out the possibility of Nelson winning, but I highly doubt it.
Scott Kuczkowski: Jake Shields is at the top of his game, so I highly doubt Daley will be able to provide much of a challenge. Shields is a wizard on the ground while most of Daley's victories came on the feet. A very telling fact is that the majority of Daley's losses have come from submission. I think Shields will quickly take this fight to the ground to avoid the lucky punch and finish with a slick submission, either an armbar or guillotine choke.
Winner: Shields, Submission, Round 1
Dustin James: One thing that blows my mind away is all the shit talking that Paul Daley is doing. Has he never seen Jake Shields fight before? Shields just finished off a much tougher opponent in Nick Thompson back in July and did it in just over a minute with a guillotine. Shields is 24-1 and is one of the top ranked welterweights in MMA and has only been finished once in his MMA career and that was way back in 2000. I don't think I have to tell you how much trouble Daley is in here. This one should be over pretty damn quick.
Winner: Jake Shields, Submission, Round 1
Jonathan Solomon: I am really looking forward to this fight. Jake Shields wants to fight the best but is relegated to EXC and their challengers. Will he be up to fight Daley or will he have a downer? Daley has great striking skills and like Kimbo, must stay away from Shields' submission game. Shields is great though and I hope this one lasts longer than his last fight.
Winner: Jake Shields RETAINS, TKO, Round 2
Adam Tool: It's a champion vs. champion bout here, as the current EliteXC welterweight champion puts his belt on the line against the Cage Rage world welterweight champ Paul Daley. As we've said many times before, Shields is heads and shoulders above any other welterweight not currently on the Zuffa payroll. Until he enters the octagon it's just going to be mis-match after mis-match.
Winner: Jake Shields, Submission, Round 1
Larry Csonka: No offense to the Cage Rage Champion, but Jake Shields is a beast and I just don't see him being stopped.
Winner: Jake Shields, RD1, TKO
Heavyweight Bout - Kimbo Slice (3-0) vs. Ken Shamrock (26-13-2)
Scott Kuczkowski: I have a feeling Kimbo is going to walk into the cage, sneeze, and we'll see Shamrock fall over like a broken twig. If this doesn't happen, I foresee Ken trying to get this to the ground as quickly as humanly possible. I don't think he's going to be successful though, and we'll most likely see him gas himself trying to do so or get caught with a mammoth punch that will knock him into retirement. Kimbo will obviously let Ken approach and try to take his head off with a punch. Ken's chin is made of Styrofoam, so I don't see him standing and trading at all with Kimbo. Kimbo should be able to get out of this without breaking a sweat. Whatever the finish, I see Shamrock complaining afterward that's the fight was stopped too soon.
Winner: Slice, TKO, Round 1
Dustin James: AND HERE WE GO! Can I get an UGGGGGHHHHH? And that's not directed towards Kimbo Slice, but rather at Ken Shamrock. Shamrock's only hope here is to get a takedown and try to do what he said he would do....break Slice's leg. Do I see that happening? No. Shamrock will try and stand with Kimbo so he can get an impressive KO victory on national television. The only thing bad about that is, Shamrock will get knocked out. Kimbo's only hope is that he can KO Shamrock in Round 1 because Slice has no cardio what so ever. If Shamrock can get a takedown on Slice and work him with some ground game, we might see a Shamrock victory here due to how suspect Slice's cardio is. Either way, this just feels like a "Let's get Kimbo another impressive KO victory over national TV" ploy here. I mean, Shamrock has lost his last 5 fights due to KO all in the first round. So what does that say? If Slice is unable to KO Shamrock in the first round, the guy's striking isn't as good as his mouth is.
Winner: Kimbo Slice, KO, Round 1
Jonathan Solomon: The big one and perhaps the final big fight of Shamrock's career. I have a feeling he realizes what he must do and that's take the party to the ground. Once there, Slice is done. Of course this fight may end in 30 seconds with a patented Slice flurry. I'll go with the upset pick here and pick the World's Most Dangerous Man...in 1997. My brain sees this fight going the way of Tank Abbott's flop but I still am a fan of Shamrock. I just hope the Shamrock that shows up is not the one from recent years.
Winner: Ken Shamrock, Submission, Round 1
Adam Tool: Here's your "main event," a 44 year old guy that hasn't won a fight in over four years taking on a 34 year old guy in just his fourth professional fight. The experience factor is one of the few things going for Shamrock, coupled with the fact that he'll have a distinct advantage if the fight hits the ground. Of course, in order to take it to the ground he'll have to avoid the big punching power of Mr. Slice. I don't think Shamrock will be able to withstand too much punishment and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being the last time we see the elder Shamrock in the cage.
Winner: Kimbo Slice, TKO, Round 1
Larry Csonka: I like this fight way more than most do. Yes I know that it is still an unproven Kimbo and 44-year old punching bag in Ken Shamrock. Jesus if they turn the air conditioning on Shamrock may get knocked out. It just makes me laugh when people say that Ken will win with ease. Lesser strikers have dominated Shamrock recently (BERRY ANYONE?) and Kimbo could kill him. But I will also say that Kimbo could pull a Brock here and make a huge mistake and there is a VERY SMALL CHANCE that Ken's experience could be the determining factor. While I would like to make one of my risky picks here, I just don't believe at all that Ken can win. But I will say that if he did, at least they could promote Ken vs. Frank with some interest.
Winner: KIMBO, RD1, TKO
Remember to join 411 for our LIVE coverage of the event Saturday night!
FREE DVD!
Do you want to win a FREE copy of the ELITEXC UPRISING event? Well if you want to win a free copy of the DVD, all you have to do is email ME! That's right, email me your name, and in the subject line make sure to put "ELITE DVD!" You will then be entered into a drawing to win a FREE copy of the ELITEXC UPRISING event!
Dude, wtf? With one exception, everyone predicted the same winners. Sounds like it's going to be REALLY one-sided. Boring.
Posted By: woody (Guest) on October 03, 2008 at 03:40 AM
My prediction, Kimbo wins the fight ... but Ken wins the DVD!!
Posted By: daniel (Guest) on October 03, 2008 at 03:55 AM
I hope Shamrock beats Kimbo this will prove that he was protected in the first CBS fight.
Posted By: T-Mac (Guest) on October 03, 2008 at 07:27 AM
I'm sure someone has said this already but Kimbo just seems more WWE than MMA to me. He has Goldberg written all over him. Swash guys go undefeated until HHH or UT get a hold of him. Leave MMA to the guys who have REAL skill.
Posted By: dee76 (Guest) on October 03, 2008 at 11:04 AM
I say either Kimbo wins by knock out or Kevin loses by submission.
Posted By: ALEC BALDWIN (Guest) on October 03, 2008 at 12:31 PM
dee76, how can u say that Kimbo has no skill? sure, he isn't the best technical figher, he's a beast. Nobody is born as strong as he is; he had to get there himself.
Posted By: Jordan (Guest) on October 03, 2008 at 04:25 PM
Shamrock, with particular emphasis on the 'sham' part is just another sacrificial lamb being sent to the slaughter. Shamrock isn't the same fighter that he used to be and EliteXC knows it. Kimbo is their cash cow. They can't afford to have Kimbo lose. That's why they keep putting him up against glass jawed opponents. If Kimbo loses, so will his swagger and perception of invincibility which makes him so intriguing to so many. It'll be a while before Kimbo ever faces a true challenge on EliteXC. He ought to be fighting Rogers, he earned it.
Posted By: Buru Dragon (Guest) on October 03, 2008 at 11:59 PM
Nobody wants to see Brett Rogers. Shamrock is a submission fighter which plays to Kimbo's weakness. Sure the guy has a glass jaw, so what.
Posted By: Jonathan Solomon (Registered) on October 04, 2008 at 12:20 AM
I just want to thank God for the victory, and I want to know where the soup is that I was promised for this fight. I like soup. It's going to be a cold night out there.
Posted By: Kimbo Slice (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 03:19 AM
Kimbo vs HHH ?
Hunter will never ever do the job to him BROTHER !
Posted By: WarSaku (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 08:48 AM
I may have to change my Carano pick. If she had that much trouble making weight, she may not have anything left for the fight.
Posted By: Scott Kuczkowski (Registered) on October 04, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Kimbo Slice has already won! You really think this loser would stand a snowball's chance in Hell against a real MMA fighter!? NO fucking way! Kimbo is a marketing ploy, plan & simple.
Posted By: SnakEater (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 04:00 PM
I'm sorry, every time I see Kelly Kobold's name, I think of Dungeons and Dragons critter.
Posted By: Ryan (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 05:15 PM
Kimbo has trained MMA for over a year with Bas Rutten. He is as much of a professional MMA fighter than any other person who has trained as much. All fighters are marketing ploys to some degree.
A lot of people are feeling Roy Nelson will knock out Arlovski as we inch closer to fight time. Don't be shocked if he does.
Posted By: Jonathan Solomon (Registered) on October 04, 2008 at 05:20 PM
MMA is just human cockfighting...er, not wait...it's cool...
Posted By: Grandpa Flip Flop (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 06:39 PM
In response to Jonathan Solomon's post:
MMA will never earn any credibility as a sport if the competitors are selected based on popularity rather than merit. Can you imagine if the NFL picked its competing Superbowl teams, not based on wins, but on who happens to be most popular at any given moment? Say what you want about Brett Rogers, but he has a much better chance of beating Kimbo than the straw man Shamrock ever will. The same Shamrock that was recently bombed not once, not twice but three times in a row by a dubious Tito Ortiz.
This is all that you need to know. Brett Rogers knocked out James Thompson with relative ease. Thompson is a guy who is known for getting his lights punched out. Fedor’s brother lit him up even faster than Rogers did.
See here:
http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=F7BWp9ARB7I
Now consider how much trouble Kimbo had with Thompson in his fight. Using Thompson as the measuring stick you can clearly see that Rogers deserves this fight far more than the old glass jaw Shamrock. Even if he isn't as popular as some other fighters.
Shamrock has become like the Brett Favre of MMA. He has been in the sport too long and doesn’t know how to quit while he’s ahead. Sure Shamrock has the notoriety of his name but the novelty has since worn off. I’m looking for quality in my fights, not the superficiality of brand names. Popularity contests are fine for deciding trivial high school matters, not MMA fights.
I predict that Shamrock will fall from the heavy-handed fists of Kimbo just like he did with the smaller Tito Ortiz (3 times). Shamrock has a slim outside chance of pulling off an upset by submission I suppose. But I believe that most viewers want to see an exchange of punches. You'd get that with Rogers vs. Slice.
I'm still holding true to my belief that EliteXC doesn't want Kimbo to face a worthy opponent. A losing Kimbo means a huge ratings drop.
Posted By: Buru Dragon (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 06:46 PM
Wow... just wow... So much for Ninja!
Posted By: Guest#5228 (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 09:35 PM
Shamrock was beaten before the fight even started. Reopened an old wound above his eye while training. Like I said, it should’ve been Brett Rogers. I’ve never heard of this guy who is set to be his replacement. EliteXC is really showing its hand now. Take a risk and give Kimbo a REAL fight would you EliteXC?
Posted By: Buru Dragon (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Wow! Kimbo was knocked out real fast! Seth Petrucelli stunned him with what didn't even look like that powerful of a shot. EliteXC is probably going to try and spin this loss by claiming that Kimbo didn't originally train to fight Seth. The problem is that Seth wasn't prepared for Kimbo either. Kimbo finally found out the difference between fighting inexperienced knuckleheads in backyards and true professionals. I still don't think that Shamrock would have been able to pull out a win. In Seth's case, youth prevailed.
Posted By: Buru Dragon (Guest) on October 04, 2008 at 11:22 PM
